LAKEN COSBY, JR.

Laken Cosby, Jr., 83, passed Wednesday June 11, 2014. Mr. Cosby was a member of St. Stephen Church, a graduate of Central High School and the University of Louisville, a U.S. Air Force Veteran, President of Laken Cosby Real Estate Company, member of the KY Commission of Human Rights Hall of Fame, and Who's Who: Most Notable African Americans in Kentucky. He served as past president of the NAACP (Louisville Chapter) and served as the housing consultant for the state and national NAACP for many years. Mr. Cosby persuaded Louisville and Jefferson County to create a unified Section 1 Program that aided in neighborhood integration and reduced the need for busing to achieve racial balance in Jefferson County Public Schools. Mr. Cosby served as the first African American chairman of the the Jefferson County Public School Board (1988) and was appointed to the Kentucky State Board of Education (1994) by Gov. Brereton C. Jones and served as its vice-chairman for three terms. He served as former Director of Housing and Community Services with the KY Commission on Human Rights, where he established one of the nation's first state-wide programs to test for racial discrimination in housing and developed a training program for real estate professionals as a means of preventing discrimination from occurring in the sale and rental of housing. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Cosby; children, Pamela Cosby, Janice Bridges (Jim), Terry Eubanks, Kevin W. Cosby (Barnetta), Sylvia Cosby, Laken III, Natalie, Matthew Cosby and Jonathan Cosby; siblings, Walter, David, Steve, Gary, Wayne, and Ernestine Cosby, Louise Douglas, Christine Jones, Beatrice Bush, Barbara Mimms, Joann Williams, and Donna Cleveland; and a host of extended family and friends. Visitation: Sunday, June 15, 2014, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at his church, 1018 S. 15th Street. Funeral service: 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 16, 2014 at the church. Burial: Cave Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family request contributions are made to Simmons College of Kentucky (1018 S. 7th Street Louisville, KY 40203) in Mr. Cosby's memory. Arrangements entrusted to A. D. Porter & Sons, 1300 W. Chestnut Street.

LAKEN COSBY, JR.

December 6, 1930 - June 11, 2014